We are proud to be a gold sponsor for 2021/22's annual Grand Designs Australian House of the Year Awards. This award celebrates and recognises some of the many talented architects and builders Australia has to offer. The shortlisted finalists are a collection of projects that deliver distinctive design and materiality, with innovation at their core.
Our very own leading Melbourne designer, Justin Hutchinson, is on the esteemed judging panel alongside April Ossington, Peter Maddison and Emma Truong. Justin Hutchinson is the Design Director of Kett, an Australian designed and made brand that places focuses on creating unique furniture collections that are honest in their use of materials and united in their craft. Justin is the perfect choice for the judging panel of these awards, his work in furniture design is highly celebrated, and can be seen in many beautiful homes across Australia. His designs are the result of many small innovations that work together to produce uncompromising levels of honesty and precision.
"In a world crowded by poorly made things; it is a pleasure and a privilege to spend each day working on products that are designed to last."
Justin Hutchinson
Image by Haydn Cattach featuring Justin Hutchinson in Kett Studio.
Grand Designs House of the Year Shortlisted Finalists.
The twelve shortlisted finalists have produced beautiful homes that showcase architectural brilliance and the sheer breadth of residential design that is happening throughout Australia at present. These homes are a celebration of the talented creatives we have all throughout the country, who turn the desires of their clients into reality.
"Australian architects are some of the world’s best, so it’s no surprise that the standard of projects was so high.” - April Ossington, Editor of Grand Designs Australia magazine
The twelve finalists are as follows.
1. Tent House by Sparks Architects and Jaicon Contruction
Inspired by its immersion in a beautiful rainforest, the Tent House mirrors the feeling of enjoying a night spent camping under the stars. The home effortlessly connects the indoors with the outdoors through its dual ideation design. The tent-like element is perfect for providing shade in the warmer months, whilst the insulated structure is ideal for enjoying the cooler months.
2. Bellbird Retreat by Steendijk Architects.
The Bellbird retreat is a true celebration of the intersection of architectural design and the use of innovative materials. Everything from its architectural form, positioning and building materials to its climate sensitivity and framing views connects this bold bushland masterpiece to the natural environment in which it's situated.
3. Bendalong Beach House by Sanders Construction Projects and Madeleine Blanchfile Architects.
Following the brief given by the home owner, the creatives on this project brought to life a humble beach inspired home. Built amongst a local residential area, this home was designed to be visually and structural impressive without overpowering its neighbouring properties.
4. Upside Down Akubra House by Blue Eco Homes and Alexander Symes Architect.
The Upside Down Akubra House follows a tight customer led brief - constructing a home that is both sustainable and off-grid. Drawing from the beauty of the Australian countryside, this home brings into focus an innovative Australian way of life.
5. Macdonald Rd House by Phillip Stejskal Architecture and Portrait Custom Homes.
This home brings extreme competition to these finalists, offering up modern Australian living at its best. The use of materials, in particular the spotted gum facade, elevates the homes connection to its core Australian principles. The homes uniqueness is facilitated through its one of a kind ideation of the modern Australian verandah.
6. The Ash by Dalecki Design and Limitless Building.
Maximisation of space and celebration of natural light, were core focuses in the design phase of The Ash home. Accommodating a budding family, this home speaks to the talent of its creatives that were able to design and construct a home with a functional and sophisticated layout. The balanced use of mixed materials is another core element that led this home to qualify as a finalist.
7. Powell Street House by Robert Simeoni Architects.
This home is a representation of the intersection between old and new. A celebration of the old structure and the addition of the new space, is connected through a corridor that highlights the linear structure of the brick through a modern perspective.
8. Crackenback House by Casey Brown Architects and Bellevarde Constructions.
The Crackenback house offer up outback living at its finest. This home is designed to celebrate farmhouse living in a manner that is wholeheartedly Australian. Materials are a key element of this homes design - the use of corrugated steel, rusted steel and concrete, are all matierials that can be found on a farmhouse property.
9. Breezeway House by David Boyle Architects and Paterson Builders.
Innovation was front of thought when designing the Breezeway House. Embodying its name, the home has been designed to create focus on the breezeway that provides ventilation and thermal regularity throughout the house. Strategic airflow was a necessity for this family holiday house and has been effortlessly included into the home.
10. Deco House by Mihaly Slocombe and Basis Builders.
The Deco House, located in Kew Victoria, pays homage to the Art Deco references of the areas original era. Celebrating curves and adding a level of softness was critical in the exterior design of the house. The bullnose roof is undoubtably the hero of the home.
11. The Sticks by i architecture and Djokic Constructions.
The Sticks is a rural property that celebrates the growing design features that blur residential and hotel living. The expansive property perfectly encapsulates the scale of its surrounds through limitless framed windows, giving you the perfect view from every corner of the home.
12. Hawthorn House by Edition Office and Flux.
The brief for the Hawthorn House was to create a property that celebrated open plan living that connected the interior spaces with the surrounding landscape. The use of multiple textures and materials, creates a home that is both visually appealing and physically tactile.
As Gold Sponsors of the Awards, we will be hosting the awards night at our Richmond showroom, where the winner of this prestigious award will be announced. We look forward to sharing the announcement of who gets to claim this year’s title for house of the year. Keep those eyes peeled for the images and videos that will be captured on the night.